


To animate another end

by Sarezaka



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 23:06:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16670095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarezaka/pseuds/Sarezaka
Summary: Regaining his memories at the start of another loop, Henry decides to try something different.Will he finally manage to break the trap created by Joey and set everyone free ?





	To animate another end

If there was something Joey didn’t account for the trap he put Henry in, it’s that it wouldn’t erase his memories, it would only lock them in the back of the man’s mind.

And it meant that sooner or later, the animator would remember absolutely everything.

He already had flashbacks from time to time, after all. And it happened in a lot of cycles.

His innumerable deaths sending him back to the beginning, falls, pain and injuries, runs and hide from enemies when he didn’t have a weapon but especially from Bendy, failures to save “Boris”, meeting Allison and Tom after “Alice”’s death, using “The End”’s reel to defeat his twisted creation who had turned into an even bigger monster with large arms and claws and a wide mouth full of sharp teeth, only to meet again his “best pal” and restart everything from scratch as if nothing happened...

**EVERYTHING.**

So when this time, he went back to the studio, took out the seeing tool he managed to keep and not lose or break during his last fight with Bendy like in the others loops for once, and saw more than a 800 tally marks he had unconsciously done in his previous visits.

He gripped his suddenly aching head in his hands as his mind got so overloaded by the waterfall of his memories now unlocked that he fainted from the shock with a scream of pain, closing his eyes who had turned a shiny gold like the color of the invisible ink used for the tallies, similar to the Lost Ones as he didn’t have pupils or irises anymore.

When he woke up, his eyes were back to normal and his head didn’t ache anymore, but he was absolutely enraged that Joey trapped him in an endless loop and forced him to go through all this again and again, always making him suffer in an attempt to fix a mess he had nothing to do with.

To the point of managing to break a nearby closed door by kicking it and he destroyed everything he could in the now opened office as he screamed in fury and used any insult he knew against his ex friend.

Once his anger and energy got spent, he slid against a wall of the trashed room and sat, crying, his face in his hands as despair now took him over.

-That damn fucking asshole ! What he wanted to show me is that he turned the studio into a trap for me, the coworkers he murdered and the toons he twisted into monsters ! “The End” always reset everything, it don’t end anything. “There’s always hope”. **NOT.** “He will set us free”. **NOT. I’VE BEEN PLAYING THIS DAMN GAME FOR WHO KNOW HOW LONG NOW, AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE, NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED IN THESE NEAR 1000 ATTEMPTS !** Oh, Linda, I miss you so much... He sobbed harder at the thought of his wife, probably waiting for him to be back, not knowing that he might never come back. A wife he was now thinking he would never see again. I want to go home... When will I finally get out of that damn hellhole ?! When Joey die ?! What if he die and I’m still trapped ?! That thought made him panic. **Oh no ! NO ! NO ! NO ! NO ! NO ! I can’t stay here forever, replaying again and again this sick story even if he die !** He slammed his hands against the floor, taking a kneeling position.

Then, something clicked in him.

The birth of an idea that reignited the hope in him.

He dried his tears.

-A story ! Of course ! I remember the storyboards on his desk ! Some drawings were familiars ! Maybe it’s part of the ritual he did ? So, what if I replaced “The End”, with my own ending ? What if I destroyed the reel Joey made me use over and over again ? I have nothing to lose by trying that... But how ? He wondered, scratching his chin. I can’t draw every coworkers as humans along with the toons, it’s impossible as I’d at least need to know what they looked like as humans and they’re too numerous, and I didn’t find any photo of them... I wouldn’t be surprised if Joey had something to do with that since he didn’t like them if the tapes are anything to go by... So, what to do ? Mhm...

Another idea sparked in him and he snapped his fingers.

-I know ! He smiled. I won’t draw the toons and my ex colleagues, I will write an end card ! Like that damn reel ! I will need material for that. Papers, ink, pens and drawing material, and a blank reel to print my work on it.

He stood up and stretched, now feeling better.

-All right, let’s get to work.

Thankfully, he didn’t need to activate the Ink Machine to go to the Art Department, so he could work without having monsters on his heels.

He opened various closets on his way, looking for what he needed for this project.

Henry found a bag and he used it to store the inkwells, a bottle of acetone, pens, paintbrushes, erasers, a ruler, scissors, duck tape, pencils and paper he found, as well as a blank reel and its box.

-Perfect, I have everything I need now. He nodded in satisfaction after checking his supplies.

Grabbing a chair, he took it to the little corner were his old desk was and put his bag on it, the Bendy cutout seeming to watch.

-You’re still there, huh ? He said with a little smile, gently patting it.

He then sat, took out an inkwell, a pen and a sheet, to start to write down ideas so he get a better grasp of what he want to do, before working on the project.

-It feels really strange to be sitting here once more after all these years... He stated, looking at the sketch prototype of the toon still tapped on his desk, softly passing a finger on it, getting a bit overwhelmed by nostalgia for a moment. My poor Bendy. Joey is really a moron. He pointed, looking at the cardboard figure. He says that you never saw “The End” of your cartoon, and he led me to believe it was the solution. But he’s so wrong. You, and I, both saw it near a thousand time, and it always failed. Yes, I remember everything now. All these damn cycles to try and have me fix his own mess, as usual... He sighed. I wonder if you remember them too, now ? I guess I’ll have my answer when I meet you face to face later. I wonder the same with the others, but for now, I have some planning to do. He shrugged.

Putting the top of his pen in the mouth, he was wracking his brain to put his thoughts in order. Chasing the anger that was still creeping in him, despite being calmer.

He then started to write.

**Not doing something like “The End”** , it’s not detailed enough to get the result I want and **IT DON’T WORK.**

**What do I want ?**

Saving Bendy, Boris, Alice and everyone else.  
Those who were originally human are back as such.  
Doing so that the toons are on model, and not twisted and hurting anymore.  
**DESTROY THE INK MACHINE SO THAT JOEY CAN’T USE IT EVER AGAIN.**

-Ok. I wrote down what I want to do and I think will lead to me finally breaking that damn loop and save them all. Now, how to write that in a satisfying way ? I can’t mess with what might be my only chance. I don’t know if I’ll keep my memories if I go in a next loop, and if I’ll ever get them back...

Tapping the pen’s body against his cheek, he was trying to find the best way to write the ending he wanted.

-Mhm... I think I’ve got it... Let’s write it down to see how it sounds. He muttered under the cutout’stare.

... And the ink lost its magic as the cursed Ink Machine broke when the spell ended. Freeing everyone and turning back to human those who originally were. Bendy, Boris and Alice are saved as the toons too got healed and not hurting and twisted monsters anymore. Everyone left the studio and was happy.  
The End.

He put down his writing tool and read his script, comparing with the notes he did.

-Mmh... That should do it, I guess ? I give back their bodies to all the humans, I heal the toons, break the Ink Machine and the ritual... He wondered aloud, scratching his head. I should also find a title, add my name as the author of the ending’s twist in case it have an effect and might help overwrite Joey’s spell while still crediting him since he’s the author of this “story” and origin of the bad things that happened here, and since it’s an ending card, some decoration...

It didn’t take him long to know what kind of decoration he would do and to find the name for this reel.

-I will name this reel... **ENDING JOEY DREW’S MESS**. After all, it’s his own mess he forces me to deal with, so that makes for a perfect title. He shrugged to the cutout before continuing to write.

He stopped when he thought he heard a little wheezing laugh that seemed familiar.

-Oh. You can laugh all you want, buddy, but I think even you can agree there’s no better title for it, given the circumstances. He retorted, pointing the pen to the figure with a smirk, before laughing a bit too. Do you imagine ? Joey’s face seeing the title of what I’m currently preparing ? Small tears of laughter appeared at that, and he wiped them. Now’s not the time to think about that, though, I have work to do. Still, it feel good to laugh a bit, I feel better, now. He added, smiling at the prop as his laughing fit ended.

Henry returned his attention to his sheets.

-I will draw 4 animated suns, one at each angle of the card, and a feather will write the text. He said excitedly as he sketched his idea on another paper to get a feel of what the result will look like. I think you will like this, Bendy, he added, looking at the cardboard figure once more with a smile. You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve done something like that, and I strangely feel like I’m having fun. It reminds me when I started working in this studio. He smirked as he started his work on a blank sheet, his hand manipulating the pen with an expertise he never lost.

He posed a moment after working quickly, but perfectly on his project. Then he looked again at the prop.

-You just have to wait a bit more, and hopefully, everything will be over for good. I’m sure Linda will love you three, and I think you will enjoy her cooking as much as I do. He said, with a smile and a voice full of a fondness he always had when he talked about is dear wife.

A few hours later, he had finished his work, all the sheets ready.

-Finally done. He yawned after putting his pen down, tired of working non-stop for hours, and stretched.

He wrote the reel’s name on its box and on the label of the object itself, then he packed everything.

-See you later, Bendy. He said, patting the cutout one last time before leaving to the room where the drawings were put on the reels.

He placed the reel in and his drawings in their respectful place, then started the machine.

The process was quick enough compared to the hours he spent on his desk, working on the animation, and he ended with a reel ready to be tested.

Henry checked that the reel didn’t wasn’t faulty after being processed, and it was the case.

Time to see the result of his labor.

He took a projector in one of the closet and put in on one of the desks nearby, positioning it so it would face a wall.

After placing the reel, he turned on the projector, hoping it wouldn’t trigger anything as he was just making a test and haven’t activated the Ink Machine.

The man couldn’t help but tear up as bit as he saw his animation working without problem and being what he envisioned.

The animator turned off the projector and carefully put back the reel in its case which he sealed with duck tape for extra precaution.

Henry took a deep breath after adjusting his messenger bag.

- _Ok, now, it’s time. Let’s hope I won’t have to go through it all once more after this cycle. Time to rewrite the end of Joey’s twisted story and really set everyone free. You can do it._ He encouraged himself, despite his fear of failure.

And so, he started the Ink Machine again, and went through the same events once more.

However, during this journey, Henry noticed that Bendy seemed less aggressive than usual toward him, and it gave him hope, even if the others didn’t remember going through the same events again and again.

- _Does he remember all these loops too ? Or did he hear what I said to his cutout, and I managed to get through him, at least partly ? Because if he know when I destroy them, then he might now what I say or do ?_ He wondered, as he was now near the trone room.

When he entered into the the demon’s lair, the first thing he did was rip the tape from the recorder and break it by trowing it against a wall, and he did the same with “The End”’s reel.

He didn’t want to hear his lies once more.

In fact, every time he could during this cycle, he destroyed Joey’s tapes without listening to them even once.

-Ahh, it really feels good to not hear his damn voice spewing lies even once. He made, with a sigh of happiness.

Then, Bendy showed up, took on his beast form and moved in front of him, still seeming as angry as in the previous cycles in this part of the sick game they were forced to play.

Henry was nervous and his heart was beating fast. It will be soon the moment of truth. He will soon know if this new loop and his idea were as pointless as the others.

-Hey there, buddy. It’s been a while, now since we ran into each other, huh ? He started, with smile, despite feeling tired like he always felt after such a journey. I’m not here to hurt you, even if your eventual memories of the previous loops imply it. I want to talk. Look, I even destroyed this asshole’s tape and reel. He added with a small laugh, pointing at the small mess.

The demon looked, and let out a sound of surprise.

- _He didn’t attack yet. So maybe I can take this as a good sign ?_ Tell me. Do you remember everything that happened before ? These near thousand cycle we went through, doing the same thing again and again, not knowing that nothing would change ?

Bendy tilted his head, and then nodded.

-I see, you do remember... Did you hear what I said to your cutout, when I was working on a new story ? Is that why you haven’t attacked me as much than usual ?

The Ink Demon nodded again.

The animator slowly lifted his hand and gently patted the creature who flinched at first, but quickly relaxed under the kind gesture as the nervousness left the human’s body.

-So, you wanted to give me a chance to see if it’ll work.

Another nod, and tear started to well up to Henry’s eyes.

-Thank you, Bendy. He said with a shaky smile. You’re probably as tired as me of all this madness, huh ? He added with a little laugh.

The beast seemed to laugh too, judging by the sound he made.

-To think Joey thought you were a soulless monster and it was the reason you weren’t as alive as he expected you to be, so he sacrificed all our ex colleagues to use their souls for the toons to be more lifelike. He shook his head, still petting the devil. I think I know what the problem was and that moron couldn’t be more wrong. You were just a newborn living being with feelings that needed to be raised with care and he thought you were just akin to an automaton. It was obvious to me, when Thomas said in his tape that Joey thought engineering and magic were similar, while even I know they’re completely different. And what if you weren’t on model, or perfect ? Perfection doesn’t exist, contrary to what he said, and it wasn’t a reason to abuse you and turn you into a villain !

Tears flowed.

-I’m so sorry Bendy. You were my creation. My pride and joy with the others toons, and I wasn’t here when you needed me... I’m sorry I’ve hurt you countless times with this damn reel, thinking it was the solution, when it wasn’t...

He heard the devil whine and was surprised when he felt an arm around him and pushing him against the toon who was now sitting, but he quickly understood it was a hug and he returned the gesture as best as he could, gently stroking his head.

-Heh. Thanks bud. He said as he dried his tears. How do you feel ?

Bendy tilted his head left and right a few times.

-So so, huh ? Just like me. Chuckled the man.

The toon nodded with a grin, making his creator smirk.

-So, what do you say I show you my latest animation ? The one you basically saw me make from scratch with your cutout ? He asked, taking “ **ENDING JOEY DREW’S MESS** ” out of his bag and taking off the duck tape.

Bendy approved with enthusiasm. To him, no matter what happen next, seeing another ending than the one imposed by Drew was a better change of pace and Henry shared this sentiment.

So the animator placed the reel and turned on the projector.

They both sat as the screens showed the result of Henry’s work, Bendy’s arm around him, and one of the human’s hands on the toon’s said arm.

At first, the screen was black, before getting illuminated from the corners by four suns, turning the screen white.  
Then a white feather appeared, and it started to write, its black tip running to make a beautifully handwritten text.

_... And the ink lost its magic as the cursed Ink Machine broke when the spell ended._  
_Freeing everyone and turning back to human those who originally were. Bendy, Boris and Alice are saved as the toons too got healed and not hurting and twisted monsters anymore._  
_Everyone left the studio and was happy._  
_The End._

The text disappeared and the feather wrote something else.

_Concept, animation, art and ending twist of Joey Drew’s mess : Henry Stein._

When the screens went black, Bendy took Henry in his arms for a hug, and whined in happiness.

-I’m glad you liked it, bud. Now, let’s hope it’ll work. Said the animator, patting and hugging the grinning toon too with a smile.

Then, the light engulfed them, and this time, the demon didn’t scream in pain.

When they opened their eyes, surrounded by noise, the first thing Henry saw was Bendy in his arms, perfectly on model, and the little toon saw his creator first too.

They hugged each other once more.

-We did it, Bendy ! If you’re on model, that mean it worked and the others are safe too !  
-Yes ! Squeaked the little toon, surprising the human for a second but recovered quickly and grinned happily.

Then, they looked around and saw that they still were in the studio, but surrounded by humans and when a confused Boris and Alice who were near them noticed their brother and creator they jumped in their arm, making a group hug.

Henry and the toons cried in joy that the nightmare was finally over.

Bendy looked at him and said something shocking.

-Aren’t you looking younger ?  
-What ?

The human stood up and walked to a mirror nearby.

The toon was right, he was a young man once more.

-What ?! But... How... He stuttered. _Was the loop’s root deeper than I thought ? Or did the way I wrote the ending made so that everyone got back their youth ?_

He then looked and saw that all his ex coworkers were there, looking the same as the day he left.

-I can’t believe it. Breaking the loop gave back our youth too. He muttered.

Sammy was about to ask him what happened when the exit door opened, showing a young Joey.

-Henry ! What have you done ?! The Ink Machine is broken ! He asked, looking shocked.

The toons tried to hide behind their creator at the sight of the man.

The brunet saw red at the sight of the man behind so many nightmares.

After comforting his creations, he stomped toward him, and punched him hard enough to make the blonde fall on the ground.

-WHAT I DID WAS FIXING YOUR DAMN MESS LIKE YOU WANTED ME FOR WHO KNOW HOW LONG ! He shouted. And the Ink Machine broke ? GOOD RIDDANCE ! THAT MEAN NO MORE INK DRENCHED STUDIO AND SUFFERING PEOPLES !

Joey had nothing to say, he and the others surrounding them not expecting Henry’s anger and still shook that the Ink Machine and his trap were now destroyed for good.

-What are you talking about ? And what about these toons ? Wondered Sammy, pointing to the nervous trio.

Henry went back to the toons to reassure them, and they felt a bit better.

-Ah. Yes, I should have known that you guys wouldn’t remember anything... So I will tell you everything I know.

He then told them what happened and the more his friends heard, the more horrified they were, while Joey was up again, arms crossed but not looking at anyone, his eyes fixing the ground, red mark on his cheek, the newly restored humans shooting him nasty glares from time to time as they listened to the madness of an adventure the animator was speaking of.

-I can’t believe it. It’s so surreal. But I know you’re telling the truth, you never were a liar. And I have a feeling the things you said did happen, even if I don’t remember anything. And the toons are proof enough of what you talked about. Muttered Susie.

The others approved what she said.

-I’m glad you all believe me. Sighed Henry, relieved to know that his friends trusted him despite the crazy story he told them.  
-So. What do you plan to do, now ? Asked Wally.  
-Well, it’s simple : I’m taking the toons home with me, and get a good long rest, with them and my wife. I think we more than earned it. Let’s go home, kids. He added, looking at his creations with joy and bright eyes at the mere thought to finally be back to where he wanted, with his toons and Linda.

The toons perked up at that and there was another group hug as they all smiled.

-Henry, you can’t take them away. They’re... Started the origin of all this mess.

The animator, moved and grabbed his ex friend by the collar.

-They’re what ? Your property ? Your creations ? Hell no ! You know their creator is me ! And they’re not your property ! They’re living beings that my wife and I will take care of, and you don’t have a say in it, understood ?! I won’t let you hurt them any more than you already have ! Growled the brunet, his blue eyes full of disgust meeting the green ones who then faltered, looking at the ground.  
-Ok... You’re right... Caved the blonde. But what about the studio ?  
-I’ll see about that later. For now, I want nothing to do with it. Henry retorted, releasing his interlocutor.

Everyone agreed that it was time to go back home, and that’s what they did, finally leaving the studio after being trapped in it for so long.

Linda – who was also young too, as it seemed that the spell and breaking it affected everyone in the studio and those tied to them – was surprised when she saw her husband back with three black and white creatures. But as Henry predicted, she immediately took a liking to them as she already knew them from the cartoons and that they didn’t have a mean bone in them since the man she loved was their creator, and the toons found her cooking really delicious.

Then, after settling Bendy, Boris and Alice in their beds, the couple went to their own bedroom and after changing into their nightwear, they slid under the covers, and the brunet told his wife everything that happened.

The redhead was shocked by what she heard, shedding tears and comforting him when he cried at all these bad memories and his fear to not have been able to see her ever again. Reassuring him that everything was over, her eyes filled with sadness for the man she loved and anger for Joey, a man she never liked and now hated more than ever, her feelings toward the man being proved right.

It took a while, but everything went back to normal and the trio settled in nicely with Henry and Linda, creating a parent-children relationship, learning so many things and having fun like they were supposed to as the toons they were.

Henry had created them with love, happiness and fun as a part of their core, after all.


End file.
